“India is on the side of peace”: MEA on Russia-Ukraine conflict, situation in West Asia

India on Friday reiterated that it is on the side of peace on the issues of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and situation in West Asia.

Addressing a special briefing on the official visit of the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz to India, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “I can confirm that both the issues did come up in considerable details during discussions. The PM shared with the Chancellor his impressions of the meetings with leaders from both Russia and Ukraine and the steps India has been taking in pursuing conversation on all sides of the conflict and how India remains on the side of peace….On West Asia situation, both sides expressed concern,” while answering a question if issues of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and situation in West Asia come up in the meeting between PM Modi and the German Chancellor.

He said that both leaders expressed satisfaction that considerable progress has been made in the various areas of their bilateral relationship.

Misri said that the India-Germany bilateral trade stood at USD 33 billion in 2023 and cumulative German investments in India amount to nearly USD 15 billion.

“On the bilateral front, the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the considerable progress that has been made in diverse sectors of trade and investment, green and sustainable development, economic and development cooperation, science and technological collaboration, education, culture, people to people relations and the areas that are now emerging at the forefront of their cooperation which includes critical and emerging technologies defense and security and as I said earlier, skilling and mobility. Relations between India and Germany have been on a constant upswing in recent years. Our bilateral trade stood at USD 33 billion in 2023 and cumulative German investments in India amount to nearly USD 15 billion. As both sides pointed out on repeated occasions during this morning’s discussions in multiple formats, there has been substantial progress made, but there is still significant potential in the relationship that remains to be exploited,” he said.

Misri said that the leaders discussed counter-terrorism and signed an agreement which aims to combat terrorism.

“In the political and security domain, counter-terrorism cooperation featured as an important element in the discussions between the two leaders, and in order to promote closer cooperation, in order to investigate and prosecute criminals, including for the crimes of terrorism. There was a very important agreement that was concluded during this visit, which is the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters and the agreement on the exchange of information,” he said.

Misri said that Scholz’s visit is a multi-part visit with three distinct elements consisting of the 7th Inter-Governmental Consultation between India and Germany, Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business and Chancellor’s trip to Goa where two German naval ships will make a port call there.

“This is a multi-part visit. It has three distinct elements. The first one is the seventh India-Germany intergovernmental consultation, which the Chancellor co-chaired with the Prime Minister. Intergovernmental consultations are a somewhat unique method of engagement between two governments where the two leaders get together with a large number of their cabinet colleagues who independently hold meetings under separate verticals and then report the results of their discussions to the two leaders. So this was the seventh in that series of consultations. The visit also featured addresses by both leaders to the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business. As you may be aware, this is a major conference on the calendar of German business. It’s held in different parts of the world in different years. The last such conference that took place in India was nearly 12 years ago. And it’s after 12 years that the conference was returning to India, gathering together German business leaders from a whole host of German industry and business. And the third and final part of the visit which will unfold tomorrow is the Chancellor’s trip to Goa to visit two German naval ships that will be making a port call there after having undertaken exercises with the Indian Navy in the last few days. The Chancellor is accompanied by a high-powered delegation, as I said, which comprises the Vice-Chancellor of Germany, who is also the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and the other ministers accompanying are the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, and the Minister for Education and Research,” he said.

Misri said that this was Scholz’s third visit to India in his capacity as the Chancellor.

“This is Chancellor Scholz’s third visit to India in his capacity as Chancellor. In the last two years, he and the Prime Minister have met on five occasions, indicating the depth and breadth of our bilateral ties. This year, 2024, we are also celebrating the Golden Jubilee, the 50th year of India-Germany science and technology collaboration. And next year, in 2025, we will celebrate the Silver Jubilee, 25 years of the India-Germany strategic partnership. The Chancellor arrived last night,” he said.